For me lunchtime means the trails along the American River. I love to ride my bike or run along these beautiful trails. I love to see the seasons change. And by running or riding along the same trails I can witness the day to day changes.   Recent months I have been riding my bike sometimes alone sometimes with friends. I love the flowing curves, the hills, the descents, the shaded canopies and the meadows. I see the mating dance of the great blue heron, the graceful silhouette of the egret, the serenity of deer who have grown accustom to the cacophony of human activity and then there are the squirrels. They may be cute, but they make me nervous. Maybe I am just picking up on their nervous energy.  

Have you ever seen a jackrabbit cross the road or trail? His decision is followed by an unhesitating sprint.   BAM!   He's committed and gone. The squirrel on the other hand may know he wants to cross, but can't seem to make up his mind. As I ride my bike, I see the squirrel 20 yards off. He sees me. He starts to cross, then jumps back, then starts again. Stops, starts. I truly never know if he'll cross or retreat. At least once each week I brace myself for that bump and thump, but miraculously he escapes. The squirrel suffers from indecision. I think some of my patients suffer from this same affliction. For some reason, like the squirrel, they can't make a good decision and stick with it. They have trust issues. They have money issues. They want big brother (i.e. Medicare or their HMO) to take care of their every need. They want health in an elixir, exercise in a pill, and money from trees. They have every excuse in the book. They might start, but end up second-guessing themselves, pause, lose momentum and quit or start something else following the same pattern of not following through.   

Sometimes a patient will try to negotiate with me the terms of their treatment. As if I can control the laws of nature and healing. They won't follow advice and then complain that they're not improving. I had a patient who told me, she would do whatever I asked except take any time off work. Well, she was working 14 to 15 hour days seven days per week. I find it interesting that people seek help for problems that are often inflicted because of their lifestyle choices, yet will fight tooth and nail to hang on to what is causing their problems and thus won't let go of their misery. Of course, I understand that change is difficult and can involve many complex issues, but too many are suffering unnecessarily from conditions that are robbing them of their joy in life.

Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue

Much has been written about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia is recent years, yet it remains a mystery.  Some suggest that these conditions are opposing sides of the same coin while others insist they are quite different.  I have found that arguing the finer points and distinguishing features of these conditions can be endless.  What I have discovered however, that rather than focusing attention on placing blame (or finding the exact cause of the illness), we turn our energy on building health.  This can be compared to the psychologist who continually rehashes past wounds and traumas without concentrating on strategies of moving forward and establishing a healthy life.  At Western Botanicals’, we are often asked what we recommend.  As you may understand, there is no single herb, vitamin, remedy or cure for Chronic Fatigue or Fibromyalgia.  Rather, You must incorporate a holistic approach to heal not only your body, but your life.  Each of these conditions are the result of the breakdown in the immune system and health of your body, mind and spirit.  Understand, however, that pain, illness and suffering are part of life’s path to spiritual growth and development.  Like those who survive and conquer cancer, many proclaim, as terrible as the ordeal was, they are thankful for the personal growth which resulted from their experience.

I firmly believe that our bodies are designed to be nourished and healed from the earth. Rarely, does science improve upon nature. Scientists, particularly those working for the pharmaceutical companies, try to find active ingredients and chemicals that suppress symptoms or manipulate the biological functions of the body, then they isolate and concentrate these substances to make their drugs. Nature on the other hand, synergistically combines the bio-active substances along with synergistic nutrients, buffers, co-factors, enzymes and other nutrients needed to best affect our bodies. Because natural whole food herbs are balanced, you do not suffer from side effects that result when you take a drug or chemically produced "natural supplement" such as most vitamins. The fact is, most supplements bought and sold these days are produced in laboratories owned by drug companies. And most people take these supplements because they have been marketed in such a way that they are afraid if they don’t they will suffer from some disease or condition related to a deficiency. So this brings me to our new product Bountiful Blend™. Some people will take a supplement that is good for them regardless of the taste (within reason). Sadly, I have found that some people have discontinued taking our Earth’s Nutrition (former known as SuperNutrition) because they did not enjoy the taste. Mind you many people love it, but some don’t. And so I set to work on a good tasting whole food nutritional supplement that would include all of the super foods that heal, nourish and energize the body.

We recommend the following 6 Step Action Plan.  This brief overview should help you get started.  The steps are:

1. Return to Restful Sleep
2. Detoxify and Cleanse the Body
3. Use Nutritional Supplements
4. Healthy Nutrition Program
5. Exercise Program
6. Develop Stress Management Skills

7. Correct Underlying Problems

Step #1 Return to Restful Sleep

You cannot get well unless you get adequate deep sleep.  This will strengthen your immune system and defend against chronic fatigue, stress and depression.  Here are some keys to help you.

A. Walk barefoot for 5 to 10 minutes each evening in the grass or dirt.  This will literally ground you and remove the static electricity that gets stored in the body and keys you up.

B. Stick to a regular exercise program.  This will help to de-stress you.  Do not exercise too late in the day as this may disrupt your sleep.

C. Establish a routine that works for you.  Bedtime, wake up time. Stick to the routine a nd get up on-time even if you didn't sleep well. Don't take naps. Within two weeks your body will get into the groove of your new routine.

D. Use audio sleep programs such as The Delta Sleep System by Dr. Jeffery Thompson – these audio CD’s are scientifically designed to bring your body and mind into the most physically relaxed stage of sleep, which is the time when the body recuperates and rebalances itself.  The music and sounds are designed to bring your brain into the delta brainwave rhythm.  Listen to this every night with headphones or spend the $30 for some amazing pillow speakers.  If you wake up in the night and can't get back to sleep, start the CD again.  There are other sleep programs out there that also work.  The music/sound will distract your mind from the worry and chaos and guide your mind to sleep.  Stick with it. You can order this through www.amazon.com or www.relaxationco.com.

E. Cut down or eliminate alcohol and caffeine from you diet.  An alcoholic “night-cap” or glass of wine may help you relax initially but will leave you tired in the morning.  Avoid caffeine, alcohol or marijuana at least six hours before bedtime.

F. Spend the last hour before going to bed winding down.  Turn down the lights (bright light from TV or computer screens suppress melatonin production - the brain's sleep-inducing chemical), relax with a pleasurable book.  Develop a nighttime routine or schedule.

G. Take an herbal supplement for sleep, such as “Sweet Dreams”, “Nerve Calm” or "Rest Easy Tea" by Western Botanicals.  They are gentle relaxants which are not habit-forming and will allow your body and mind go into the deep stages of sleep, while pharmaceutical sleeping pill can be addictive and prevent the most restful sleep.

H. Consider doing a simple yoga or other stretching routine just before you get into bed. This will relax you physically and mentally.

I. Sleep in a comfortable, cool, quiet, dark environment.  If there is outside light that comes into your room, get dark curtains or shades.  Cover any electronic lights. Really make it dark. Spend time and effort to make your sleep enviroment ideal for sleep. Reserve your bed for sleep and sex only. Cover outside noise with a sound generator of queit nature sounds - babbling brooks, waves, or white noise. Use a fan to cool if needed.

J. Sleep medications are a booming business, but too often have very undesirable side effects. Modifying attitudes about sleep and learning good sleep habits will produce better long-term outcomes than drugs.

Step #2  Detoxify and Cleanse the Body

We live in a toxic, polluted environment.  The air we breathe, the water we drink and bathe with, the food we eat, the noises that pound us, and the unnatural lights that never turn off all contribute to the toxic load we hold in your bodies.  The effects of toxicity results in irritation to the tissues of our bodies, which lead to congestion of the organs.  There are five channels of elimination in our bodies, the bowels, the kidneys, the liver, the lungs, and the skin.  We can only be healthy to the decrease that we can efficiently eliminate the toxins.  We recommend the following:

A. Begin by eating healthy food.  This means whole, natural food grown and raised without harmful chemicals.  Eat organic whenever possible.  This includes meat (beef, chicken, etc.) which is now easy to find.  Eating an abundance of vegetables, fruits and drink plenty of pure water is one of the best detoxifying strategies.  Follow our Health Building Diet.
 
B. Have regular bowel movements.  These means 2 to 3 every day.  Use Western Botanicals’ Colon Cleanse™ or Happy Colon if your bowels do not move enough.  Use Colon Comfort for too frequent bowel movements or diarrhea and the symptoms generally associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Colitis or Crohn’s Disease.  Consider doing our two-week Colon Cleanse Program.
 
C. Use a vegetable fiber skin brush daily.  Brush the skin (arms, legs, back, etc.)  Your skin may seem sensitive at first, but persist and you will be scrubbing away before you know it removing the old dead skin, opening your pores and feeling fresh and clean.  Do this before you shower.
 
D. Cleanse the liver by doing the Liver-Gallbladder Flush Program.  This will effectively cleanse and detoxify the liver and allow you to go through your normal daily routines.  After this program, we recommend using Essiac Tea twice daily.  Although this tea is classically used to treat cancer, it is a power, yet gentle liver tonic and cleanser.  Using the herb, Milk Thistle, is also advisable.
 
E. Cleanse your kidneys.  This is done by drinking enough water and herbal teas (the non-caffeinated variety), as well as taking herbs for the kidney’s such as our Kidney-Bladder Formula.  This cleanses as well as disinfects the kidney and bladder.  Most of my patients begin with the Colon Cleanse Program followed by the Liver-Gallbladder Flush Program and then the Kidney-Bladder Flush.  This four-week routine of Cleanses and Flushes can be a big step in detoxifying your body.
 
F. Restoring healthy bacterial flora is also important.  Eating cultured yogurt, sauerkraut, kim-chee, even sourdough bread can provide the “good bacteria” needed for a healthy digestive tract.  Probiotics (the good bacteria) can also be taken in a supplement form that is available.  Soil organism supplements are also a good source.
 
G. Some herbs that help to cleanse and purify the blood are red clover and pau d’ arco.  These herbs are gentle yet powerfully cleansing.

Step #3  Use Nutritional Supplements

There are so many supplements available, each promising to be the missing key to your ill health.  We find that most people take nutritional supplements out of fear.  They are afraid that if they don’t take it, they may be missing out on something their body really needs.  I believe in God and I believe in nature.  I believe that the foods of this planet are specifically designed to provide us with the nutritional building blocks to build and restore health.  Too often science discovers some component of a nutrient that affects a certain response and then isolates that component to be taken by the consumer.  The problem with that is nature did not intend for us to eat isolated chemicals.  We are designed to eat whole foods, which contain the desired chemicals as well as synergistic chemicals, co-factors, buffers, and a whole spectrum of supporting chemistry to make the body healthy and whole.  While taking fragmented supplement can effect a change and even give positive results, we feel that by nourishing the body with a whole food supplement you will realize the healing benefits and have a deeper more stable health.  This is why we use herbs (which are considered by many to be concentrated whole foods) and whole foods supplements, such as Earth’s Nutrition and Bountiful Blend.
 
We recommend that you take one or both of these supplements twice daily.  Some will mix the two together while others take one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.  These products are similar – powdered herbs that are mixed with juice (Earth’s Nutrition) or water (Bountiful Blend).  Earth’s Nutrition is higher in the B-vitamins for the nervous system.  Bountiful Blend is higher in anti-oxidants for the immune system.
 
In addition, take an essential fatty acid supplement such as Salmon Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Coconut Oil or Evening Primrose Oil.  Ginseng root is also proven to be very beneficial.  We recommend our Ginseng Plus as it contains a synergistic balance of many ginsengs.

Step #4 Adopt a Healthy Nutrition Program

Nutrition is vital.  Eating whole, natural clean foods.  Organic and fresh are best.  Follow our Health Building Diet.  Does this mean that you can never enjoy sweets or treats?  Maybe for a while.  If you are really sick and you really want to get well, you must make some changes.  I promise you that healthy changes will give you more energy and vitality.  I pray that you will have the courage and strength to put healthy living food in your body and avoid the life-robbing junk many have become addicted to.  Not only is eating the right foods important, but how you eat them.  You should be eating 5 or 6 small meals daily, rather than 2 or 3 larger meals.  You will feel like you are snacking all day.  Rather than overeating during a meal try to stop just when you are full and tell yourself you will have more in a little while.  Never skip a meal.  Strive for 50% raw food and fresh juices.  Try avoiding the nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, white potatoes, green peppers, eggplant) – these foods can interfere with the enzymes in the muscles causing pain.  Avoid sugar, fried foods, processed foods and white flour.

Eat slowly.  Set your fork down between every bite. Chew your food thoroughly- to the consistency of applesauce.  Relax.  Enjoy the flavor, texture and consistency of your food.  Take digestive enzymes before each meal or snack.  Enzymes can also be taken between meals on an empty stomach to help reduce pain and inflammation.

Step #5  Adhere to an Exercise Program

Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent obesity, depression and chronic illness.  There are hundreds of excuses why you can’t or shouldn't exercise, but all you need is one reason why you can.  Life!  Put simply and bluntly, if you do not exercise, you cannot regain your health.  You may need to start out very slowly and cautiously, but persistence and patience will pay off.  I recommend walking and/or cycling.  Swimming can also be a good option, but only if you can find an unchlorinated body of water.  I fear that breathing and absorbing chlorine is a greater risk than the benefit of swimming. 

Buy new walking or running shoes.  Get your bicycle tuned up.  Determine a safe place to exercise and get started.  Always exercise within your breath.  This means you should never be breathing so hard that you cannot carry on a comfortable conversation.  Start out slow with easy distances and speeds.  You should never workout to the point of exhaustion.  Carry water and drink it if the weather is hot or if you are out for longer than 30 to 45 minutes.  Find an exercise partner, but it must be someone who can exercise at your pace.  The goal is to work up to 6 days a week with each workout being 30 to 45 minutes.  Many of us find success by alternating long and short workouts or hard and easy days.  It is best to stretch AFTER you have warmed up.  Ideally walk for 10 minutes then take some time to stretch or if that is not practical, stretch gently at the end of your workout.  I strongly advocate exercising in nature.  Find a park with trails or paths.  Assess how you did the next day.  Remember, you are in this for the long haul and if you need to take a day off to rest do it.  For the most severe, you may need to begin with only a minute or two of exercise.  But you’ve got to start.

For muscle soreness we urge you to use our Deep Heat Ointment.  The Wintergreen oil and cayenne pepper are both proven to reduce pain and muscle soreness.

Step #6   Develop Stress Management Skills

This includes all of the steps above as diet, exercise, sleep, supplements and detox programs will help to reduce and minimize stress.  In addition, I recommend developing and refining a spiritual practice for yourself.  Many affirm the religion or faith of their childhood.  Take your spirituality seriously.  Your illness is a spiritual path you must learn from.  Pray and meditate.  Listen to the subtle inner voice for guidance and inspiration.  Keep a journal (write down) your thoughts of inspiration.  Realize that you are here to serve and bless the lives of others.  Forgive and let go of past hurts, traumas, betrayals, etc.  You cannot heal if you do not release fear, anger, hate, guilt, etc.  Hanging on to negative feelings will canker your soul.  Repent (change your heart) and Forgive (let go of negativity).  Above all, follow the inner voice of your spirit.  It will guide, direct and teach you what you need to do.  The road to health (spiritual and physical) is not intended to be easy.  Our lives are a spiritual journey designed to help us discover who we really are with the help of our challenges.  Music therapy has also shown to be very effective in relieving stress. read The Mozart Effect by Don Campbell or The Power of Sound by Joshua Leeds.

Step #7   Correct Underlying Problems

This step may not be necessary for everyone with CFS or Fibromyalgia but for many it is essential.  Namely, correct problems that can be associated with your condition.  Hormone imbalances are a big issue for many, especially women.  Have your hormones test through a saliva test.  This is the most accurate test.  Chiropractic care, acupuncture and/or massage therapy can also be of great help.  Allergies can also be a big factor.  Find a practitioner who uses allergy elimination techniques such as BioSET or NAET.  See a qualified healthcare practitioner who is experienced with CFS and Fibromyalgia who can assist you in your recovery.

You probably are asking as all patients with these illnesses do; How long will it take for me to get better?  And of course, the answer must be; we don’t know.  Because of the complexity of the illness there are varying degrees of severity.  We see some people respond very quickly – in 4 to 6 weeks, others it takes many months or a couple years.  But this we can promise you, taking care of yourself physically, nutritionally, emotionally, and spiritually is much better than continuing the course of illness and degeneration.  We admit, change is hard, but positive change is definitely better than the alternative.

~ Dr. Kyle D. Christensen D.C. ~

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